LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NRL fans are rallying around Bulldogs legend Steve Mortimer, expressing their sadness following the grim updates about his health\.
Diagnosed with dementia in 2021, the former player, now 68, resides in a care home\.
Mortimer had an illustrious career, playing 272 games for the Canterbury Bulldogs, capturing four premierships, and serving as captain during their 1984 and 1985 title wins\.
He also represented NSW in 16 State of Origin matches and played nine Test matches for Australia, leading the Blues to their first Origin series victory in 1985.
Recently, Mortimer's family shared more distressing details about his condition, which has been public for four years\.
While the Bulldogs are currently topping the NRL ladder, his son Andrew doubts his father is aware of this success\.
"It's a shame because they are absolutely killing it," Andrew told the Daily Telegraph\.
He noted that Mortimer struggles to complete full sentences and is experiencing a gradual decline\.
"I don't know whether dad is thinking of something but can't articulate it, or he's not thinking it, but there's not much verbally, unfortunately," Andrew said\.
He described his father's state as peaceful but implied that Mortimer's awareness of his surroundings has diminished: "I would say he's on a slow decline\.
I'm sure people who see him a few months apart, or a year, would see significant change\.
He is seemingly calm, somewhat at peace with the situation and probably somewhat oblivious."
The support pours in from the NRL community, reflecting on Mortimer's significant contributions to the sport and the heartbreak of watching a beloved icon navigate the challenges of dementia.